- unitid
-
{"value"=>"*T-Mss 2015-020", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"23135", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"b20830318", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1923-2015", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1923/2015"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1923
- date_inclusive_end
-
2015
- keydate
-
1923
- date_start
-
1923
- date_end
-
2015
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Jane and Gordon Connell papers"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"12.15 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"27 boxes, 1 oversized folder, 1 tube", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"1 gb (344 computer files)"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"id"=>"THE", "value"=>"Billy Rose Theatre Division"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Jane and Gordon Connell papers date from 1923-2015, and are comprised of correspondence, music scores, photographs, reviews, scripts, theatre programs, audio recordings, and videos showcasing the careers of the couple. The collection's focus is predominantly on the Connells' professional lives and the theatre, radio, and television productions in which they performed."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>Jane and Gordon Connell papers, *T-Mss 2015-020. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Connell, Gordon", "type"=>"persname", "role"=>"creator"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Jane Sperry Connell (née Bennett; 1925-2013) and Gordon Connell (1923- ) were both born and raised in Berkeley, California. They met while attending the University of California at Berkeley, where they performed on the stage together. After graduating college, Jane and Gordon launched their careers at the Purple Onion and The Hungry I in San Francisco, as well as voice acting in radio serials for NBC. In 1947, they formed the Straw Hat Revue Company, taking their act on the road and touring the country. Jane and Gordon were married in 1948, and their travels with the Straw Hat Revue eventually led them to New York City, where they relocated in 1953.</p> <p>The Connells' New York City performance careers began in revues and commercials. A 1958 Dexol Bleach commercial, which featured a pie being thrown in Gordon's face, won an award of distinctive merit at a contest sponsored by the Art Directors Club of Los Angeles. Their stage careers got a boost after being hired at Julius Monk's Upstairs at the Downstairs, where they began performing regularly in 1959.</p> <p>Jane made her off-Broadway debut in the 1956 revival of <span class=\"title\">The Threepenny Opera</span>, and was then hired for a 1960 production of <span class=\"title\">Once Upon a Mattress</span>, which was staged in London. Noted for her work as a character and comedic actress, Jane is best known for her role as Agnes Gooch in Jerry Herman's <span class=\"title\">Mame</span>. First appearing in the original 1966 Broadway production with Angela Lansbury, she was also cast in the 1974 film version starring Lucille Ball, and again in the 1983 Broadway revival.</p> <p>Jane performed in numerous theatre and television programs over the years, most notably in <span class=\"title\">Me and My Girl</span>, which earned her a Tony nomination in 1986. Other productions include <span class=\"title\">Drat the Cat</span> (1956), <span class=\"title\">Dear World</span> (1969), <span class=\"title\">Annie</span> (1977-1982), <span class=\"title\">Lend me a Tenor</span> (1988-1991), <span class=\"title\">Crazy for You</span> (1992-1996), <span class=\"title\">Move Over Buffalo</span> (1995-1996), and <span class=\"title\">The Full Mont</span>y (2001). Her television credits include, <span class=\"title\">Bewitched</span> (1967-1972), <span class=\"title\">Green Acres</span> (1970-1971), <span class=\"title\">The Carol Burnett Show</span> (1970), <span class=\"title\">The Mary Tyler Moore Show</span> (1977), <span class=\"title\">All in the Family</span> (1977), and <span class=\"title\">M*A*S*H</span> (1980).</p> <p>In the late 1950s, Gordon got his East Coast start performing in revues at the Tamiment Playhouse. His off-Broadway debut came in 1961 with <span class=\"title\">Subways are for Sleeping</span>. He went on to appear in <span class=\"title\">Hello, Dolly!</span> (1964-1970), <span class=\"title\">The Baker's Wife</span> (1976), <span class=\"title\">Finian's Rainbow</span> (1977), <span class=\"title\">The Human Comedy</span> (1983-1984), <span class=\"title\">Show Boat</span> (1984), <span class=\"title\">Big River</span> (1985-1987), and <span class=\"title\">1776</span> (1987-1991). Gordon was also a musical theatre composer, and wrote the score for <span class=\"title\">Bertha,The Sewing Machine</span>.</p> <p>Jane and Gordon also appeared together on the stage throughout their careers, most notably in <span class=\"title\">Lysteria</span> (1972), <span class=\"title\">Bye Bye Birdie</span> (1977), and <span class=\"title\">The Good Doctor</span> (1988). They maintained busy and successful careers until the 2000s.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Jane and Gordon Connell papers detail the couple's careers in theatre, radio, and television. Included are correspondence, photographs, programs, reviews, scripts, scores, video, and audio recordings from the productions in which they performed. Items are grouped together by production title, theatre name, or subject matter, and often contain materials from various performances of the same show.</p> <p>The correspondence files predominantly address the Connells' professional communications, which discuss contracts, logistics, and potential acting jobs. There are also letters from actors and directors who worked with the couple, as well as some fan letters. Of note is correspondence regarding their work in advertising, which includes a letter discussing the 1958 Dexol Bleach commercial.</p> <p>The performance files convey the longevity of the Connells' careers through photographs, programs, reviews, and scripts, many of which are annotated and date back to their lives in Berkeley as students at the University of California. There is a great deal of material from Jane and Gordon's work on the West Coast with the Straw Hat Revue Company and in radio broadcasting. They also retained a significant amount of mementos from their early New York City careers working for Julius Monk, which include photographs of performances at Upstairs at the Downstairs, flyers, programs, and a scrapbook of photographs with notes and autographs from the actors.</p> <p>The career-spanning photographs, which are the most abundant items in the collection, depict stage, television, and radio programs. Most of the performance files contain photographs of the productions and some backstage shots, but there is a small collection of photographs that are unlabeled or were filed separately. These include images of when Jane and Gordon first met in college, live performances, family photographs, and headshots of Jane and Gordon, some in which they appear together. Some of the photographs included in this collection are digital scans; the scenes depicted in these files date between 1954 and 2013.</p> <p>Less prevalent are musical scores, many of which are handwritten and annotated. They include some of Gordon Connell's musical theatre composition work, most notably from <span class=\"title\">Bertha, The Sewing Machine</span>. Among the scores are some unidentified drafts which were filed separately from the rest of the performance files.</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>Performance files are arranged alphabetically by production title, theatre name, or subject matter. Correspondence files arranged chronologically.</p>"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Gift of Margaret J. Connell, 2015.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"type"=>"processing", "value"=>"<p>Compiled by <span class=\"name\">Heather Lember</span>, <span class=\"date\">2015</span>.</p>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Sound and video recordings are unavailable pending digitization. For more information, please contact the Theatre Division at theatre@nypl.org.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>The author/creator retains copyright of materials. For information on obtaining permission to publish, contact the Theatre Division at theatre@nypl.org.</p>"}
- dsc_type
-
combined
- extent_statement
-
12.15 linear feet (27 boxes, 1 oversized folder, 1 tube); 1 gb (344 computer files)